Audiences of Jersey Shore were cognizant of the chaotic nature of Mike “the Situation” Sorrentino’s existence. That was his role on the megahit MTV reality show, in which he partyed and hooked up in between going to the gym, getting a tan, and doing the chores. The degree of derailment that ensued is truly enlightening.
In his new memoir, Reality Check: Making the Best of the Situation, the reality star relives his darkest moments of opioid addiction, hitting rock bottom in his locked bathroom, using heroin because he couldn’t score Roxicet or Percocet and he was desperate. He writes about committing tax evasion, dealing narcotics, and squandering his entire fortune. “My drug is #growth,” the newly minted author divulges to Yahoo Entertainment after completing eight years of sobriety this month.
“The majority of individuals do not survive that life of excess.” There are some individuals who pass away or vanish instantly. Thus, I deemed it essential to discuss the excess—including the drugs, the women, the fame, and the millions. The majority of individuals fail to flee and reach the opposite side. “Family life is the other side,” says Sorrentino, 41, who is expecting his third child in March with his wife, Lauren. “I am extremely fortunate.”
“I nearly lost my life there.” “This book is without a doubt a page-turner,” he assures. “I anticipate that it will surprise enthusiasts, readers, and the general public alike. Valuable informing. It is enjoyable. It’s amusing. Most significantly, I believe it will motivate individuals who have encountered challenges in their personal journeys. This book conveys the message to persevere without giving up. People who are suffering from the disease of addiction are going to see how I recovered — the mindset, what I did — and I believe they’ll be inspired.”
Sorrentino’s troubles began before he ever showed off his six-pack abs in Seaside Heights, N.J. The Staten Island, N.Y.-born TV star had not only sold drugs, he had been to rehab to treat his pill addiction prior to Jersey Shore, which ran from 2009 to 2012 and catapulted him to stardom.
Partying comprised the plot of the program. He founded a prosperous brand from it, which generated $5 million for him in 2010, which was comparable to the earnings of Kim Kardashian that same year. The fist-pumping and club shots, however, were merely components of the spectacle that the audience witnessed.
Sorrentino held a second employment off-set, procuring sufficient pills to support his addiction throughout the filming process. In order to satisfy his curiosity, he eludes the diligent MTV production team regarding the intricacies of his book. In order to stockpile herbal fat burners at the MTV residence, he emptied capsules and refilled them with pulverized pill powder. While touring the world, he concealed hundreds of pills in sneaker soles-mounted Altoids containers. Having the appropriate quantity of tablets on hand to nourish a growing addition, according to him, was an unperfect science. When he rammed his head into a concrete wall while shooting Jersey Shore in Italy, he was actually experiencing withdrawal.
Off the clock from MTV, he traveled everywhere with a Louis Vuitton bag doubling as a “dispensary,” holding his drugs of choice, including Xanax, Valium, Adderall and cocaine. He’d show up high for late-night appearances on Jimmy Kimmel, Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon, not to mention his season of Dancing With the Stars. His estimated medical expenditures were $500,000. He also attended rehabilitation twice more.
It was following the conclusion of the performance that he reached his lowest point. He was broke (he had also overspent on luxury cars), unemployed, behind on rent, depressed and the target of a federal investigation into his finances (which he spent $1 million in legal fees defending). He attempted heroin for the first time in response to withdrawal symptoms because it was the only substance he could obtain.
He states, “I’ve always said I wouldn’t do it” in reference to the substance. “Always accounts of individuals overdosing are prevalent. In my brain, I was thinking: Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I was getting paid almost $200,000 per episode on the biggest reality television show in the country, getting 9 million viewers, and now I have a bundle of heroin in my possession.”
Locked in the bathroom of the home he shared with then-girlfriend Lauren, he told himself, “‘I’m only going to try a little because people usually overdose. Maybe if I just have a little bit, I’ll be OK.’ But right then and there — I’m putting my life on the line. In hindsight, I could have overdosed. I could have died right there.” But he didn’t, so he kept going — even though he didn’t like it. “There was a little devil on my shoulder saying, ‘If you try a little bit more you might like it.’”
